Fides
by Nighthawk-Moonshadow
Summary: Perry has got a problem, and seeks some alternative help. When his plan goes awry, can JD figure out what's happened and find a way to save him? Slash, AU, Dark!fic
1. Prologue: All Your Empty Lies

**(Hah! Welcome to the crazy ass world of Fides. Don't remember much how I came up with all this stuff, but suffice to say it was during finals after consuming high quantities of Snapple and stressing over studying. And yes, this story did kinda kill my studying, but hell if I didn't manage to ace my exams anyways :D  
Thanks to everyone who gave me help and tips for this story, who dealt with my craziness while writing it, and to pure luck for not having my brain explode during the stressful time I was writing this. I find it horribly ironic that I tend to write a lot of crazy, supernatural fic, when it's not even really my favorite genre. Ah well. Hope you enjoy this! Concrit and comments welcomed and appreciated! This will be updated at the same schedule as LJ, and will not affect posting of His Nightmares, since both projects are already finished.)**

When was the last time he'd been in a church?

That was the question that wouldn't get out of his mind. Funny how as he stood, dripping wet under the stone archway; that he'd want the answer to something so unnecessary. Did it really matter how long it had been? Was God counting every Sunday mass he missed, every check mark adding another century in hell?

Why did he even come here? What was the point? If there was a hell, there was probably no saving himself from it.

But Perry still wanted to know when he'd last been in a church.

The rain pelting outside drew him back to the present evening. He shut the wooden door behind him, soft candlelight reflecting off the metal hinges. The echo was so loud when it swung shut… he wondered if anyone was even here.

This was the lobby, a small entrance hall before passing into the main room of the church. Deep red carpeting covered the floor, sickly blood-colored in the dim light. The electric candelabrum above was useless because of the blackout, leaving the real candles on the walls to take up the slack. Curved stone walls never ended, shaping the room into a half moon.

There was a cough, and he swung to his left to see an older gentleman looking all for the world like he had crawled out of the grave. Pale, wrinkled skin covered his body; a mop of white hair on his head. A cough that hinted at emphysema echoed from his lungs. He was clothed in black priest's garments; little white square at the top. No wonder Perry hadn't seen the man when he walked in; he could barely see the outline of the robes in the dim lighting. It was as if the holy man had been waiting there fore him the whole time.

"Can I help you, my son?"

"Are you open?"

The man smiled, revealing yellow teeth. Definitely a smoker. "We never close for those who need guidance. What are you in need of?"

"I just… need some time in here, is all. Mind if I take a look around?"

"Not at all." With another smile, the priest turned, walking towards the shut doors across the hall. Perry followed, noting the prayer book the priest carried against his chest. He wondered if that had been what the priest had been doing when he arrived. There was no good reason for the man to have just been standing there anyways. Unless there was some odd ritual he hadn't heard about, where priests stood by doorways to wait for "lost sheep" or whatever they called people like Perry. It could be the case, maybe it had started since the last time he visited a church…

When was the last time he was in a church?

There was a click, and the doors swung open, revealing a gaping hole in the universe that called itself a church. Rows and rows and rows of pews stood before him, leadings towards a distant altar that looked a continent away. The roof seemed non-existent, just a black nothingness; it was so high, and unable to be lit by the small candles on the altar or even the windows higher up on the walls, that let the dim twilight glow through.

Tapestries layered over stone. Everything was stone; everything but the wood. Stone and wood, and cloth stitched by nuns, with designs so intricate that Perry wondered if any of their creators still had fingers left. Wax, spilling over the candleholders, pooling on the stone. Stone, wood, cloth, wax. The building blocks of God's house.

Perry stepped inside, and avoided the urge to skirt the wall. If God could see him, then there was no use trying to hide. Especially in his own goddamned house. Heh, Newbie would laugh at-

_Do not think about Newbie_.

"Ahem."

The priest was giving him a look and motioning over to a small metal bowl attached to the wall. Stale water pooled inside. Perry wondered what the point was, after being drenched by the thunderstorm.

"If you're already wet, more won't hurt."

The old man could read minds. Could he read Perry's darkest thoughts? Could he see…?

_No, of course not. Don't be an idiot._

Still, he wet his thumb and pressed it to his forehead, then to his chest, and finally to his shoulders.

"I'll let you be." With a gruff nod, the priest had disappeared behind the door. It clanked shut behind him, and Perry was left alone.

Frankly, with the size and shape of the chilly room, he felt a little like Dorothy without her ruby slippers.

Taking a seat in the front most pew, he let out a rush of breath, watching it crystallize in the cold air in front of him.

Why wasn't the heater on?

Right, the blackout. How stupid was he to forget all about that? His mind was stressed out; he'd never make a stupid mistake like that otherwise. Maybe Newbie was getting-

_Do not think about Newbie_.

He looked up to the wooden cross hanging above the altar and thought back on the conversation he'd had with his sister. When he'd called to talk about his… _problem_, she'd said, "Find a shrink or a priest. Knowing how you hate shrinks, maybe you'll try my way for once."

So for some misguided reason, he'd decided to take her advice, if in a roundabout way. If a priest was a messenger to God, then why not skip the middleman and go straight to the Almighty himself?

Perry didn't know what he was trying to prove. It wasn't like if his _problem_ didn't go away, it meant that there was no God. He really didn't give a damn either way whether there was or not; he just wanted this… this _thing_ to go away!

He'd tried everything he could think of. He was desperate. And desperate men call their sisters. Their crazy-ass devout Christian sisters. What else did he think she would say?

_Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do._

This was stupid. He was being stupid. This shit wasn't going to work. Perry had never had Paige's faith, and he damned well didn't need it. This _problem_ wasn't a problem at all.

Jesus, it was cold in here. It wasn't that cold outside, was it?

He stood and moved to the center aisle, planning to leave. This wasn't helping jack shit. He needed a drink and a night's sleep. He had a twelve hour shift tomorrow, and Ne-, some people were depending on him.

_**And if a man…**_

He spun, looking for the source of the voice he had heard moments before. "Hello? Somebody there?"

Huh, that was odd; he thought he'd heard something.

_**And if a man lieth with another man**_

"Hey! Who the hell is there!"

Silence.

This was nuts. He was nuts. His mind was playing tricks on him. _Calm down Perry. No one, no one knows your secret._

_**They have both committed an abomination**_

"Shut the _fuck_ UP!"

Silence.

It was the priest. He knew. Somehow, he knew. That bastard, he could probably tell the second Perry had walked in here. Well, he would give the son of a bitch a piece of his mind right-

_**THEY SHALL SURELY**_

"AHHHHH!"

Scream.

He'd hit the stone step that separated the altar from the main floor; thrown back by some invisible force. What the fuck? Who had done tha- oh, shit; he was going to feel that tomorrow. Ok, he should get up slo-

_**BE PUT TO DEATH**_

The next blow threw him up towards the roof (sky).

_**FATHER FORGIVE THEM.**__ Oh god, what was going on? Let go, let go of me! __**FATHER**__ oh shit, not against the- __**FORGIVE**__ AHHHHH! Oh god, what happe- __**FATHER FORGIVE THEM**__ GET OUT OF MY HEAD YOU SON OF A- __**FOR THEY KNOW NOT**__ Why are you doing this? Who are you! __**FOR THEY KNOW**__ Let me GO, don't do this, I've got a kid, I- __**THEY KNOW NOT**__I DON'T WANT TO DIE! Jack, I'm sorry, oh Jesus, kid- __**KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO**__ NEWBIE! I'm sorry! I sho- __**WHAT THEY DO**__ JAAAAAYDEEEEEEE!_

Silence.

He'd gone from altar to pillar to pew. Slam, crash. The tabernacle was broken open with the force of his back slamming into it. Slowly, he gripped the edge of a broken pew and stood, facing the wooden cross. He walked, taking two steps and jumping clear over the altar table itself.

A slash; and the cross now held five long gashes. Perry looked at his hand, fingertips bleeding from the force of his effort. Blood dripped, as red as his pupils. He licked it away, grinned, and then spoke out to the empty audience.

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

When was the last time Perry Cox had been in a church?


	2. 1: In This World So Wrong

**(Yes, I'm a total bitch for not posting the 2nd part for over a MONTH. Let's just say that I've been doing tons of stuff this summer, and Fides totally fell off track for me. It's back on though; I'm hoping to have a regular update schedule of Wednesday nights. I'm in Canada right now, and I'm leaving for the US next Thursday morning (like, at 3:30 am), so I'm not sure how a post would go, but I will really, REALLY try.)**

JD didn't believe in horoscopes. He really didn't. Yeah, they were pretty fun to look at; sometimes the advice was good. But they really didn't have any affect on his day.

When he glanced at the morning paper on the table of the break room and saw that his number was a two… out of ten, JD rethought his beliefs.

_Drip drop_. The sound of coffee being made. Lifeblood, one order, coming up. It didn't help that Dr. Cox had decided to skip out on a twelve hour shift (putting Kelso on the warpath as per usual). Really, he could've done without that, along with nicking himself while shaving, getting vomit on his scrubs after the first patient of the day, and being told by Kelso that if Dr. Cox wasn't around to do certain important paperwork items, he would have to himself.

Yeah, he could've done without that.

Coffee, he mused, was a great invention, but also the worst possible thing ever to happen to mankind. Look; a great new drink that makes people stay up longer but also makes them ultimately less productive!

Introducing, twelve hour shifts.

Oh god, he was going to kill Dr. Cox. Rip him a new one. Dr. Cox would walk in, all suave and rested and not looking like hell (in fact, his muscles would bulge against his shirt and his hair would be curly and perfect and he'd hoist JD up and- _no, stop that_). JD would walk up to him and bite his head off. Yeah, that was it.

Fuck, who was he kidding?

He groaned, letting his head clunk down onto the table and letting out a sigh. Like he could ever take on Dr. Cox. Perry (when did he get so comfy calling Dr. Cox that?) was a mountain lion, and he was the baby gazelle trying to somehow outrun it. It was a bad Discovery Channel documentary, and you always knew that the gazelle was going to die, but you couldn't stop watching; you didn't want to give up hope, and it seemed so close to safety, and then- lion chow. Would you like fries with that, Dr. Cox?

This was why Turk was always right. There was no way that Dr. Cox had been civil, let alone _nice_ to him over the past few weeks, and JD was crazy for thinking such. Ah, his Chocolate Bear knew him best. Even though Perry's shoulder brushes were getting a little softer and longer… the charts to the back of the head more playful than angry… the glances less full of malice and more of curio- _stop it JD. Stop it right now_.

_Sigh_. Turk was right. Dr. Cox was an asshole, through and through. This just proved it. He didn't care about JD; didn't care about anyone. So what if he'd consoled JD after his dad had died? So what if he'd started letting JD call him Perry and dragged him out to bars when he was depressed and let him baby-sit Jack and- _shut up shut up shut up_.

Turk was so right. Uh huh. Totally.

Wait a minute. Those pounding footsteps… the sound of Doug screaming in terror… things smashing to the floor… oh shit!

"Newbie."

_Okay JD, turn around very slowly. Maybe he doesn't see you; maybe if you stay still he'll-_

"You know, Glinda, just because you don't move, it _doesn't_ mean you're invisible."

_Shit. Okay, new tactic. Try something outrageous._

"Whaddaya want Perry? Thanks for showing up by the way, though I wouldn't have minded doing _all_ of your paperwork."

Oh crap, he was going to die. He would will Turk and Carla his apartment; Elliot would get his boxes of hair gel; Dan would get all his ex-girlfriends' numbers like he'd requ-

"It kind of helps me out if you turn around so I can talk to your face instead of the back of your head, Newbarella."

_Newbarella? Since when has he ever called me that?_ JD turned slowly to see Perry staring at him, eyebrows raised in- was that _bemusement?_

Had he died and gone to heaven? Were these the pearly gates? Did God look like Perry Cox? Ok, that was waaaaaaay too weird of a thought, and he was going to turn his brain off. Now.

A sharp whistle brought him back to his senses. "Follow," Dr. Cox said, quirking a finger towards the door.

Oh no, nice try, JD wasn't going to fall for something that easy-

Aaaaand now Dr. Cox was dragging him. Great.

He scrambled up and watched helplessly as Perry tugged him out of the break room, across two hallways (_Carla, save me! Damn it, don't wave, save me!_), and finally shoved him into a storage closet.

_Click_. He heard the door lock. Oh shit, this was not going to be good.

_We are entering Operation JD-Cowers-And-Screams-Like-A-Pansy-Mode. I wonder if he responds to utter cuteness. Come on JD, put on that anime-style face with the too big eyes and tiny mouth!_

Dr. Cox was just staring now. JD's mind flashed back to the gazelle metaphor before he backed up against the wall slowly.

"Know that I haven't had my coffee this morning and anything that came out of my mouth I can not be held accountable for."

He… he was _laughing_? Since when did Dr. Cox laugh at JD's jokes? Okay, now he was seriously beginning to question if his mentor was on something.

And then Dr. Cox stepped forward, and rested his hands on either side of the wall that JD had shrunk back against. He had a sort of half-lidded, hazy look on his face; something you would think was more likely to be found on JD than on Perry.

Yep, definitely not a normal look for an angry, incorrigible bastard.

"Dr… Cox?"

_Slam._ Now instead of pressing himself against the wall, he was _being_ pressed. Dr. Cox's hands were against his wrists, and his body was pressed up against JD's, and _why am I concentrating on that shit when Dr. Cox is _kissing_ me?_

It was true. Mouths were meeting, and this was not a quick 'oh hello Grandma, nice to see you again' kiss. This kiss should've been accompanied by the "bow chica wow wow" music. Mmmmm, he liked that music… _back in the moment JD, back in the moment._

It seemed that Dr. Cox's talents didn't end at fixing sick people, because JD felt very much healthy at the moment. This was very heated, very amazing, and he never wanted it to end. He'd never realized how soft Perry's lips were; his hands gentle yet firm on JD's wrists. _If only he was this nice in every thing he did_.

JD wouldn't have noticed the hand slipping from his wrist except for the fact it was now winding itself down the front of his pants. This was an interesting turn of events to say the least. _How did I end up with a guy this bi-polar for a mentor?_ Ah well, did it matter now? All he cared about was what Dr. Cox was doing to his frontal regions.

_Oh god. Oh GOD. How is he doing this so quickly? What's goOOOAAAH!_ A whispered (it sounded like a shout to him) "Perry!" and a choked gasp escaped his lips.

Dr. Cox held him up as he sagged forwards, exhaustion overtaking him. And the funny thing was that the only thing he could think was _yeah, horoscopes definitely lie_. Today was so not a two.

He felt a mouth brush against his ear. "Come to my apartment tonight at eight."

Then he was lowered (_gently? What is up today?_) to the ground, and when he looked up, he was the only one left inside the closet.

_Guess I'll have to change scrubs AGAIN_, he thought with a sigh. It changed to a grin in five seconds. Who was he kidding? That was amazing, and so worth it. Chocolate Bear was totally wrong. That stupid crush he'd had on Dr. Cox wasn't stupid after all! And Perry had even asked for a follow up...?

Yeah, definitely at least an eight or a nine for him today.

>>

_Where… where am I? What's going on? Ah shit, my head feels like crap. Okay Perry, get a grip. What do you remember? There was a church… and a steeple… fuck, why am I thinking about nursery rhymes right now?_

_**Perry.**_

_Wha-? Who's there? Are you the little shit that was doing this to me before? Why can't I see a goddamned thing? Wh- are you in my head? Wait, I'm not even talking, what the hell? ANSWER ME!_

_**Open your eyes, Percival Cox.**_

Light. His bedroom? How had he gotten here? Where was- why couldn't he move? Oh god, even his eyes, what?

_**Get up.**_

Why couldn't he control his body? Where was he going? _No, I don't want to go towards the bathroom, I want out of this fucking apartment so I can go find the little shit who did this to me. Hey, are you listening? Who are you and what did you do to me?_

_**The mirror.**_

_What's the mirror got to do with-Oh my GOD!_ _AHHHH! WHAT DID YOU _DO_ TO ME?_

"Say hello Perry."

_OH JESUS, WHY DO I LOOK LIKE THIS?_

_**Time to get ready. You're getting visitors.**_

_Wha, what? No, no Jordan's coming with Jack, oh god please just send them away; they can't see me like this!_

_**Don't worry; we can fix that for a little while. Besides, they're not the only ones stopping by.**_

_Who- _Flashback, and suddenly he remembered. _No, no JD. No, no, no; what have you DONE? You fucked up EVERYTHING, You son of a-_

_**Don't worry Perry. Soon you won't have to worry about any of them anymore. In fact, no one will worry about them anymore.**_

_Don't you fucking _TOUCH_ THEM!_

Doorbell.

_**Ah good, that's the little one. Time for a quick change. This will only hurt a lot.**_

_What are you-AHHHH!_

Everything went red.


	3. 2: Close Your Eyes

**(Haha! Well, I only missed it for 2 weeks this time :3 Getting better. Anyways, we're just getting darker as we go along folks, you're going to be in for quite a ride. This is probably my favorite chapter, for a few reasons you may or may not understand once you read. Comments and Concrit welcome! Cheers!)**

If Perry was going to be mad at JD for being late, then he only had himself to blame. It wasn't like JD didn't have enough on his plate that day. Another extra hour of Dr. Cox's paperwork meant he left the hospital at quarter past seven, and he had barely enough time to rush home, shower, and throw on a shirt and jeans before he was out the door, Sasha flying down the streets.

Bob, weave, and _oh shit watch out for the eighteen wheeler!_ God, Dr. Cox was going to get him killed one of these days. _Well it's not like he was driving the truck._ Ah, but it was the thought that counted.

He wondered if the neighbors suspected something with how many times he'd seemed to show up here lately. _Well considering the show Perry put on at the hospital today, who could blame them?_

Actually, JD was expecting Dr. Cox to chalk up the incident as a crazy drunken (_at eight thirty in the morning?_) mistake. His brain had calmed down after about an hour of yelling '_DR. COX MADE OUT WITH ME'_ and he'd started coming up with more realistic theories besides the idea that Perry had suddenly decided to fall head over heels in love with him. Okay, maybe all the ideas weren't _more_ realistic (there was one with a unicorn and bobble heads… ah, he _wished_ that was the case), but still, there had to be a reasonable explanation.

Right?

Ah, sweet, there was a parking space open out front! Now he wouldn't have to have a fifteen minute argument with Dr. Cox about come down and buzzing him into the parking garage.

_Oh if I were a meter maid, a meter maid, a meter maid! If I were a meter maid, I'd tow you all away!_

Hrm, note to self, cut down on the musical soundtracks.

A hop, skip and jump later (okay, more like fifty hyper-reactive steps), and he was in the elevator, whistling a tune while being lifted four floors. The doors opened to dead air; he stepped forwards, and _is Dr. Cox's door open?_

Cautiously, he moved forwards, poking his head in. More dead air.

"Hello? Anybody here?"

"DEEEEEEJAAAAAAAAAAY!"

Oh shi-_THWOOMP_. There was a mini-Perry in his lap.

"Hey Jack." Ow, he'd landed hard on his ass. And since when did Jack ever show this much affection? And since _when_ had he ever seen the kid cry?

It was true. The boy was latched to his stomach, face buried in JD's shirt and soaking it with salty tears. _What's gotten into him?_

"Deejay, someting ate Daddy!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

He pointed away, and now JD noticed a sound coming from the door leading towards the bedroom. He stood, clutching Jack in his arms (the kid would just not let go), and gave a shout.

"Hey, Dr. Cox, are you in there?" He wouldn't leave his kid home alone, right? Perry wasn't stupid; it didn't seem like him to do that, especially with how much he seemed to adore his son.

_Thump_.

What was that sound? "Jack, you said something ate Perry?"

"Deejay has to call him Doctow Cox!" God, even the kid was giving him lip. "And Daddy went in dere, and someting bad came out."

Woah, Jack was shivering. What had happened?

_Thump_.

"Dr… Cox?"

_Thump._

"P-Perry?" The door swung open.

_Oh my shit._

Whatever that thing was, it did NOT belong in the twenty first century. It had a humanoid form, but was hunched over, with an elongated, white face, and fangs as long as its jaw. Shredded bat wings with a transparent peach membrane and pasty, ivory bone structure hung from its back. It had the chest of a bodybuilder covered in reddish fur. White yeti arms, legs and hands were covered in fur as well. A sickly scaled dragon tail with spikes longer than its fangs thrust from its hindquarters.

JD saw all this, took it in with horror. Oh god, it was like a reject spawn of the devil; something out of a child's nightmares. But the worst thing was the fact that the chest-length hair hanging from its skull was tinged a familiar shade of orange, and its eyes were not devil red, but ice blue.

This thing hadn't eaten Perry. Somehow, he knew that this thing WAS Perry.

>>

_Oh god, JD, please, run! Take Jack, just GET OUT OF HERE! Please, I can't control this thing; it's going to kill you!_

_**He can't hear you Perry. Only I can.**_

_Please, for the love of everything holy, don't hurt them! I'll do anything, just leave them alone!_

_**Don't be such a party pooper. The fun is just beginning.**_

_WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?_

>>

"Dr. Cox? Can you hear me?"

What the fuck was he doing? He had a screaming kid buried in his shirt, something out of a fantasy novel staring him down, and now he was trying to fucking talk to it! _RUN, YOU IDIOT, RUN!_

"Perry?"

Where was Chocolate Bear to smack him upside the head when he needed him?

It was just… standing there, breathing; wheezing was the better word for it. Every rush of air sounded like a death howl, and the room was so cold, so horribly cold; JD's breath was crystallizing in the air.

And suddenly it roared, howling up to the ceiling, and JD wanted to collapse, settling for plugging his ears with his hands as Jack grasped his neck for support. Oh god, it sounded like millions of people screaming in pain. The sound swept through him, and he thought he would never be happy again. So much anguish, so much horror… _god, is this what you're feeling too Perry?_

Finally, his body listened to him, and he turned, shooting out the entryway like a bat out of hell, the door slamming shut behind him. He glanced at the elevator, before deciding that he'd have a better chance on the stairs.

A flight down and he heard glass breaking. _It went out the window. Oh god, I'm fucked._

Jack was still screaming. JD didn't blame him; he'd be screaming too if he could comprehend what was happening.

Two flights, and he heard a rush of wings. He didn't dare chance a glance out a window. Even a precious second wasted could mean death for them.

Three flights. The whooshing of air was louder, closer every second. Faster, faster, he needed to go faster. Keep running, don't ever stop. Stopping meant death.

He made it to the lobby as the creature began smashing against the glass pane doors in front of him, trying to gain entrance. Apparently its hands were too large and clumsy to grasp handles, so it would take a more destructive means to get inside. Jack was pointing at it, flailing in fear in JD's arms. Oh god, they were trapped; they were going to die.

_The parking garage!_

Hallelujah.

Two steps, and he burst through the metal door to his right, hearing it fall shut behind him with a click. Down a long, winding hallway; glass smashed behind him. _It's inside._ He kept running, even as the first slam against the steel door echoed down to him.

Another door, swinging shut just as he heard the first one give way. He was in the garage now. Jack wouldn't shut up; it was driving him crazy. He was already crazy; this was a nightmare; that was all. He'd wake up, and he'd be dozing in his apartment or in the break room, or maybe in the bed of a hot girl he'd gone home with…

_Slam_. It was at the last door.

He was running through the parking garage now, feet pounding on the concrete, past Hummers and SUVs. There was Perry's Porsche. The man would never be able to fit into it now. A dry, grim laugh escaped JD's lips as he ran.

There had to be some place to hide, somewhere, anywhere! But the entire damned complex was a giant open square; dimly lit by forty watt bulbs and held up by concrete pillars that couldn't hide an anorexic model behind them.

Another slam and JD stopped, bending slightly to catch his breath. In front of him lay nothing but a wall, probably six inches deep with dirt behind it. He'd reached the end of the garage, and there was no exit in sight.

Then he heard the door give way, and knew he was fucked.

He turned, clutching Jack like a lifeline, and watched helplessly as the creature lumbered through the doorway, tossing the door aside like a rag doll. It swooped over the railing of the short stairway leading from the door to the ground, and turned to face him. Ice blue eyes gleamed in victory.

JD's back pressed against the cold, damp wall of the garage. Every breath hesitating as the creature stalked closer, moving slowly as if to play with him. _If you're going to kill me, get over here and DO IT already, you BASTARD!_ His mouth wouldn't speak. The only sounds were of breathing and water dripping from the pipes above; Jack had finally stopped screaming.

And then it was in front of him, one arm poised to strike. JD shrunk down against the floor, turning away to shield Jack with his body.

Whispered words. "Jack, you have to stay really quiet and don't move, no matter what, okay?"

A whimper. "Deejay?"

JD closed his eyes and prayed.

>>

_No, oh please no. Oh god Jack, no; please don't kill him! No, JD, run! Please, please, god please!_

_Please…_

>>

The next sound he heard should've been death shrieking to claim him. Instead there was a roar, and he felt wind brushing past. Something clipped the back of his head and he fell forwards, twisting his body so that he didn't land on top of Jack.

Ow. He didn't know what was worse; landing on the concrete or the sound of Jack crying again. Slowly, he opened his eyes and sat up, finding his face peering directly into someone's crotch.

_The fuck?_

Jack clambered back into his lap as he looked upward, squinting against the light that cast a shadow against the person standing before him. Finally, his eyes refocused, and he could see.

It was a woman. She wore a tight, red shirt and blue jeans; not those mom jeans either, despite the fact that she looked old enough for them; at least in her early forties. Her blond hair was shoulder cropped and framed a face that held deep brown eyes. A small brown cowgirl hat topped her head, matching the color of the small bags strapped to her belt, as well as her flat-soled army boots.

"Need a hand there, hun?" New York, Jersey accent?

"Who are-"

"No time to explain." She helped him to his feet. "Let me take care of this business first, and then I'll explain what's going on."

She reached behind her, and _oh my god is that a shotgun?_ A chuckle escaped her lips as he stumbled back.

"Not going to use this on you, sweetie."

_Then who- oh, crap._

All of this had been so sudden that he'd forgotten about the creature. It was against the far wall, trapped inside a glowing golden net (_where the fuck did that come from?_), and looking to be knocked out cold. But if that really was Perry, and she shot him…

"Wait!"

"Shut up, you're ruining my concentration."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm destroying it, what the hell does it look like?"

"You can't! That's Perry!"

"Who?"

JD pointed at the creature. "Perry Cox."

"So you've named the damn thing? Kid, you picked the wrong demon for a pet."

"What? No! That's not a demon, that's Perry!" His hand motioned back and forth between Jack and Perry. "The kid's father."

Oh crap, now she was pointing the gun at him! "That kid is demon-spawn? Shit, get away from it you idiot! It'll kill you!"

"No!" JD clutched Jack to his chest protectively. "Jack isn't whatever Perry's been turned into. He's _human_, just like Perry used to be."

"Hum-Son of a _bitch_!"

Wow. She'd put quite a dent in the concrete from slamming the gun into the ground. JD made a note to keep a ten foot distance between them at all times, just incase she felt like slamming anything else into the ground, including him.

"That fucking _coward_! That jackass priest – he _lied_ to me, the evil little fuck!"

He watched her continued to rant. What the hell, did she have steel-toed boots or something? How could anyone slam their foot that hard into a pillar and not be screaming in pain?

"Uh, what's going on?" Apparently, those were the magic words, as she stopped hitting things and turned to face him. Her expression fell and she sighed, running a hand over her face.

"Kid, look, here's the gist of things. Your… Perry, has been possessed by a decently experienced demon that is draining his body and soul to power itself. I'm here to dispose of it, and Perry's going to be going 'bye bye' along with it."

"What! You can't do that! You can't kill him!"

"Well, if that asshole of a priest who called me had told me in the first place that this demon possessed a human, I would've brought backup. But I didn't, so the best course of action is for me to destroy it. And that means Perry along with it."

"No! I won't let you!" He moved, standing between woman and demon. Yeah, as if that would actually prevent her from doing what she wanted. She snorted at him.

"You've got no idea what this involves, and you're not calling the shots. Believe me, I think the kid would rather his dad be dead than off massacring the town."

_No, this can't be happening. There's got to be something…_ He watched as she picked up the shotgun and brushed past him, taking aim. _No, she can't kill him. God no, please…_

"Please!"

She turned to look back at him, eyes hard and expressionless.

"Please, isn't there a way to save him? Anything?" She held her stance. "There's got to be a way! I… I don't want Jack to lose his father!"

"What is Perry to you, kid?"

_Mentor? No, that's too impersonal anymore._ "He's my… friend."

She quirked an eyebrow and stared at him for a long while. Why was she looking at him like that? It was creeping him out.

Finally, she sighed and lowered the gun.

"You really mean it?"

"I'll do anything. Please, just don't kill him!"

She sighed again. "Don't say anything, kid. You don't know the price yet."


	4. 3: Hold On

**(On time! On time! happy dance A little bit of a slow chapter; some preparation for the final two. Hope you enjoy! Comments and concrit welcomed!**)

They'd packed Demon Perry into the back of her van. JD didn't know how she'd gotten into the parking garage in the first place, and frankly, he didn't want to. God, all of this was so freaky! He'd had chills running down his spine when he helped her drag the netted Perry into the trunk. A broken record of '_for the love of everything good, please don't let him wake up'_ had been playing in his head.

Now they were driving, leaving the city behind them. Jack was curled up on his lap, sleeping. Apparently the events of the evening had made the toddler drowsy. JD really wished that his body would react the same way. _It would be so much easier for this to be a bad dream._

It was too quiet. "So… care to explain what's going on?"

"You want the long version or the short version?"

"Wasn't what you said in the garage basically the short version?"

"True." She turned onto the highway. "Well, I suppose the long isn't too much longer than the short. You can call me Diane Carter; Dia for short. I'm a demon hunter by trade; we get calls in about rogue demons and come to take them out."

"How come I've never heard about this before?"

"Do you know what kind of crazy panic people would be under if they knew about demons?" She snorted, brushing a strand of hair back, and oh, wasn't _that_ an ugly scar? Right under her ear too, ouch.

She was still talking to him. "No, it's easier to just keep this stuff under wraps. They call us in, have us destroy the demons, and our teams come in to do damage control if we make too big of a mess out of it."

"So… who called you?"

"Some jackass priest who decided not to mention that this demon had possessed a target."

"Does that matter?"

"Well, generally if we know that it's a possessed human, they send more than one person so we actually have a chance in hell of freeing the person."

"…so there's no chance?"

"Never said that." She glanced over and gave him a stare, as if sizing him up. Then she turned her eyes back to the road. Shook her head. "But it's not looking too great."

JD's heart sank. Oh come on, he wasn't _that_ pathetic, was he?

"Look, I… I can't promise the world to you. I'm going to attempt to try and save Perry's spirit, but this is usually at least a three or four person job. Getting someone exorcized is hard."

JD had the urge to ask if shouting 'the power of Christ compels you!' while waving around a cross would do it, but somehow, in the present situation, the joke just wasn't funny.

"So where are we going?"

"If you're going to exorcize someone, you need to take them back to the place where they first became possessed. You see, demons like to hang around in places like churches and synagogues and mosques. They prey most easily on someone who's at a weak point in their lives and is susceptible to the demon's powers. People like that usually turn to a faith, and in turn, their places of worship."

JD had stopped listening after the words 'weak point.' _Perry was at a weak point? What was going on… what did I miss? He seemed like he was getting nicer, not depressed! _What could he have possibly missed?

"And since I got a call from a priest, and that priest just happened to mention the church he presides over…" -she flashed him a grin- "I have a feeling that's where we need to head to."

She seemed to expect acknowledgement of her deduction skills by him. Well, she would have to look somewhere else. His thoughts were not with her at the moment.

_What happened to him? What did I miss?_

>>

JD made a note to himself: going to a church at night was creepy. Especially if you had a demon in the back of your van and it looked like the remains of an Alfred Hitchcock thunderstorm outside.

Dia jumped out of the vehicle immediately, mumbling something about finding the priest and 'giving him a piece of my mind.' Really, who could blame her? But JD needed some time to think first, so he stayed seated.

This whole day had turned out to be the craziest experience of his life. He'd been groped by Perry in a storage closet (technically the other man had been possessed, but JD was so going to count this as a check in the 'he likes me' column despite it). Then he'd been chased through an apartment building and parking garage by a giant ass demon (_Perry always said he'd really try to kill me one day_). Now he'd teamed up with a really, really weird woman (army boots and a cowgirl hat; fashion maven this woman was _not_) to try and save his friend from some type of eternal damnation.

He was going to kill whoever wrote that morning's horoscope.

_Slam. _Gah! Was it _really_ necessary for her to scare the fuck out of him by pounding on the window?

"Get your ass in gear, kid! We've got a demon to kill!" Oh god, she had to be related to Perry, she was giving him the same 'stop-being-an-incompetent-dumbshit' look that he constantly got from the other man.

"And bring the kid! I don't want to come out here and have another possession to deal with!"

JD woke up Jack, explaining that they were going to go exploring a church for a little bit (_why is it that all of the Coxes start glaring whenever someone mentions religious stuff?_). After some coaxing (okay, a LOT of coaxing), he opened the door and got them both out of the car, Jack trailing behind him.

Dia was waiting at the back and handed him the end of a long rope. Together they lugged the net holding Perry out of the trunk and dragged it around the side, pulling it towards the church steps. Oh, he was SO glad that the demon was unconscious as they pulled him up the steps. _Not like Perry would give a shit at this point, but I'd rather do this with him not thrashing about._

The church was deserted, and if the entirety of the front lobby hadn't been so well taken care of, JD would've thought the place was abandoned. The main chamber held a cracked stone altar, broken pews and a cross with a few gashes sliced through it. _Yeah, he's definitely been here. Leave it to Perry to destroy religious stuff._

They dragged Perry up onto the first level of the altar. It was large and wide enough to hold the entirety of his demon body, and still hold room for them to stand. Dia knelt and knocked on the ground. Huh, what was she so happy about all of a sudden?

"Stone is good at containing spell work; I won't have to put down an extra barrier."

"Magic? You're serious."

"Your friend is a demon and this shit is surprising you?"

"…Good point." _Shut your mouth and stop acting like a damned fool, JD._ "So what do you have to do to exorcize someone?"

"You'll see in a sec. First, a precaution." She removed her shotgun and opened the chamber, pulling a few bullets from a pouch on her belt and loading them in. She held one up for him to see. "Sulfur. Explodes on impact. A demon's biggest weaknesses are sulfur and fire."

"Why?"

"Nobody knows." She loaded another bullet. "I've got a theory though. Are you a religious man?"

"I'm Jewish, that's all I should have to say."

She chuckled. "Good to know you've got a sense of humor about it. I'm not religious, but if I was, I'd say that we were wrong about demons and hell. They want to escape it as badly as we do, because it's as painful down there. I mean, it's hell, and anything living in hell can't be having a good time! That's why the demons are here, to escape it. And considering fire and sulfur are traditionally all what hell would be made of, no wonder it hurts them so much."

She clicked the barrel shut. "But I'm not a religious woman, so I guess I can't even believe my own theory, can I?"

Wow, that was one whacked out woman. Did she even listen to herself speak?

"Lady, are you cwazy?"

"Jack!" Okay, so he wasn't JD's kid, but that didn't mean he didn't have SOME semblance of control over Jack, right?

"What?" Guh, the son was as incorrigible as the father. Wow, had he actually used that word right? Sweet!

"No, it's alright." Dia laughed, leaning down to ruffle Jack's hair. "You're a pretty funny kid, you know that?" Her face was wistful for a moment, and it seemed to JD to be a look only a mother could have. _Wonder if she's got a kid… maybe condemning Jack to life without a father isn't something she wants to do_.

She stood, gave JD a nod, and motioned towards the pews. "Step off a second and let me work."

He obliged, grasping Jack's hand and pulling him off the altar. They stood a few feet away and watched as she pulled a cigar out of a pouch and lit it, lips puffing out an oval of smoke before a hacking cough escaped her lips. It seemed kind of weird to be smoking now though. She couldn't wait a bit for a smoking break? They were in the middle of an emergency here!

"Smoking," she said, flicking a few ashes down, "is a terrible habit. God, anybody who smokes these things out of pleasure is a moron. I never get used to it."

Okay; now that confused him, but he watched her anyways. She walked, circling Perry and puffing on the stick. When enough of the cigar had been turned to ash, she tapped it to the floor around him, drawing a circle of ash around his form. It took three cigars to form a semi-decent circle.

Finally, she stepped back, surveying it before giving an approving nod. JD could only scrunch his nose at the foul smell. How much damage must she have done to her lungs if she needed to perform exorcisms this often?

Next she turned and walked to the duffle bag she had brought in with them. Unzipping it, she withdrew a worn, leather-bound book. She flipped it open and immediately found the page she needed, another sign of her experience at whatever this was. A few words echoed from her mouth into the void of the church, and flames sprang up around Demon Perry, following the circle that the ash had created.

JD watched, fascinated. _For somebody so whacked out, she sure knows what she's doing._ If for some odd reason he lost the urge to be a doctor, how hard would it be to get into this line of work? _Wonder if you get hazard pay._

"Okay kid, here's the deal." She turned and walked over to JD. Wow, those flickering shadows made her look even creepier; if that was possible.

"I'm going to start this up. Basically, I have to wake Perry up from the comatose state my net put him in, and then use the chants to summon the demon out of him. Usually, there are multiple people performing this chant at the same time, which increases the success rate.

But," she continued, flicking her finger out to point at him, "only somebody who is experienced and trained like hell is supposed to attempt this chant. It's dangerous to mispronounce it, and all sorts of horrible things can go wrong, which is why you will be standing in the back with Jack and staying out of my way. Got it?"

_Jeez, thanks for making me feel useless. _He really didn't like being ordered around and unable to help, but knew she was probably right. What the hell did he know about demon hunting?

"If things get out of hand, get the kid and get out of here. There's only a limited amount of time that we have to exorcize someone; after that, they're lost to the demon forever. But during the opening we do have, the demon will go after the person's loved ones, because once a demon-possessed kills a friend or family member, that's it; it's over for them. Even if we free them from the demon, their mind is fucked up forever by that experience. They either try to kill themselves or get locked up in mental asylums for the rest of their lives."

"So if this goes wrong, we're still in danger?"

"Yeah, until Perry is lost to the demon forever. Then you're as fucked over as the rest of us!"

_Wonderful_. "Good luck?"

She snorted. "We're gonna need all the luck we can get." She motioned her hand, and JD stepped back, picking Jack up (despite his protests of wanting to 'see the cwazy lady do more stuff') and heading to the back of the church.


	5. 4: As We Dance With The Devil Tonight

**(Going into the climax! Hope everybody's been enjoying the ride... TUNE IN TO THE FINAL CHAPTER FOR A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:3)**

Dia cracked her knuckles, taking a deep breath. It had been a long while since she'd attempted this. The last time was probably… yeah.

_No time to think about that. I've got somebody I might be able to save this time_.

She flipped to the third page. "Ego attero meus obex!"

The net surrounding the demon disappeared, and it only took a few seconds for it to snap its eyes open, glaring an icy blue at her. It stood, glancing at the flames around itself before giving a snort. A grasping noise echoed from the back of its throat, and she heard it speak in her mind.

_**Nice containment circle. I haven't seen one so weak since Alphides tried to destroy me.**_

She rolled her eyes. "Well I think you know as well as I do that I didn't make it to be used for very long."

The kid probably thought she was even more whacked out, speaking to herself. Well it wasn't exactly her fault that just because demons were telepathic, it didn't mean that humans could talk back the same way.

_**Give it a try.**_

Yeah, encouragement from a demon didn't sit well with her.

Page five. Alright, it was time to do this. _Come on Dia, you're forty one years young. Kick this demon back to where it came from, wherever that is._

"Ego dico super vox intus. Vobis, everto, inquam…" she chanted words of power, flames rising and dipping in the circle at each word spoken. The demon seemed to grow agitated, flaring its wings and snorting in annoyance.

_Let's go._

"Ego reprobo vos per fides!" she shouted. And so it began.

>>

JD watched, jumping slightly as Dia's voice increased in volume. Demon Perry seemed to be staring past the woman to glare at him. He usually liked the blueness of Perry's eyes. Now they were just freaking him out.

_Perry, are you even in there anymore? Is it too late? I didn't get to say goodbye… no, I'm not going to think like that. He's going to come back. I'm going to get that hug_.

"Deejay? What's going on?"

"We're getting your dad back, Jack. He'll be here soon."

Suddenly, the demon let out a roar, and JD was hit with the same overwhelming wave of pain and dizziness. The walls trembled with the force of the sound, and he could hear the church bell slamming itself against the steeple above. Everything reverberated.

Despite this, Dia still stood, chanting the same phrase over and over again. "Ego reprobo vos per fides!"

Another roar. Jack was crying, covering his ears, and JD knelt over him, doing the same. The slamming bell above was demonic in itself, like a church hymn from hell.

And then he heard the snap, like a gunshot, and the slams. He realized what was happening just a second before the roof above Perry and Dia caved in.

>>

When the smoke cleared, JD found himself clutching Jack against himself and leaning against the back wall. In front of him, the altar was covered in a giant mound of rubble, tiny pebbles still rolling to the bottom.

"Dia!" He sprang up, sprinting down the aisle. _Shit, no one could've survived that…_

"I'm over here, kid."

She was against the side wall, trapped under a smaller pile of rubble. "Jumped out of the way at the last second. Nothing's broken, but I'm weak and kinda stuck under here," she said, smiling up at him, her eyes betraying grimness. "Guess you'll have to dispatch him yourself, eh? There's no way I can channel the power in this condition. I'm… sorry."

Oh god, she meant- _No, no it can't be over! No, he's going to live!_

His head swung around frantically. _Come on, where is it!_ Aha, there! He'd finally spied the book wedged under a few rocks. He unlatched Jack from around his neck and set him down next to Dia.

"Jack, I want you to stay here and look out for Dia, okay? Whatever you do, do not come after me, okay?"

Before Jack had a chance to respond, Dia interrupted. "No kid, it's too dangerous. You are _not_ going to try it."

JD stood and stared down at her, challenging her with his expression.

"Sometimes," he said, letting out a sigh, "sometimes if you care about somebody enough, you don't care how dangerous it is."

He turned away from her angry protests and picked up the book. Alright, now was the- what was that noise?

A rumbling was coming from the large rubble pile, forcing him to throw himself to the side as it exploded. A shape rose into the air, disappearing into the dark void above.

Perry had escaped.

>>

_**This is it, Perry. Anything else to say before we end this?**_

_Yeah. I hope you're ready to have your ass kicked by my protégé._

>>

JD circled the room slowly, trying to figure out where the demon had gotten to. He'd flipped to the correct page, and read the instructions slowly; surprisingly, everything but the spells was in English. It seemed that Dia had completed everything but the last part. He just needed to continue chanting the phrase she had until the demon was banished. Easy, right?

But it would kinda only work if he could _find_ said demon. _Come on Perry, you can never resist a challenge for lo-_

_CRASH_. JD staggered as he felt the floor shake. Spinning, his chest was gripped with an icy pressure as he saw Demon Perry in front of him, looming over Dia and Jack. His reflexes were better this time though, and in a second, he had snapped out of it. _I've got to get his attention._

JD yelled out to Dia, pulling her out of the panicked look settling on her face as she gazed up at Perry.

"How do I get him to notice me?"

"Now is not the time kid!"

"Just tell me, damn it! I need to distract him!"

"Piss him off!" Well, wasn't _that_ just the most general statement ever that really didn't help him?

"How?"

"How would you piss Perry off?"

Heh, that he knew how to do. JD smiled grimly. "Hey!" he shouted towards Demon Perry. "Hey, Percival!"

Oh, that got his attention. _Okay JD, start chanting._ "Ego reprobo vos per fides!"

The demon seemed to laugh at that, and stalked closer. Okay, this was not good. JD backed up, pointing a hand forwards and chanting again. "Ego reprobo vos per fides!" _Nope, nothing happening here!_

There was Dia's voice. "You need an inflection on the 'fides!'"

"Well thanks for telling me that now! Ego reprobo vos per fides!"

The demon paused for a moment, as if hindered by something. _Oooo, now we're getting somewhere._ Still, Perry was getting closer, and JD didn't have much more room to back up.

"Ego reprobo vos per fides!"

This time, the creature seemed to wince. _Come on Perry, help me out here. I know you're in there._ "Ego reprobo vos per fides! Ego reprobo vos per fides!"

The demon roared, causing JD to cover his ears once more. Augh, he would never be able to resist that- _Swoosh. _Oh god, it had him in its claws! _No, no, no, no, no!_

He squirmed helplessly as it held him aloft towards the sky, up towards the heavens. It would destroy him any second now, he just knew it. He shut his eyes, preparing for the final blow. _I'm sorry Perry… I tried._

_NEWBIE! DON'T YOU DREAM OF QUITTING ON ME NOW!_

_P-Perry?_ Eyes flew open, and he stared downwards, deep into the demon's eyes. Somewhere, somewhere deep in the void of that icy blue, there was a spark.

"EGO REPROBO VOS PER FIDES!"

He shouted it to the roof, screaming it over and over again. He had to keep trying; had to for Jack's sake, for Perry's sake, for his own sake. He couldn't let it end like this

Before he knew it, the demon was echoing his cries, making horrible noises that made JD want to curl away. They hurt so badly to listen to. But he knew he couldn't, and kept shouting. "EGO REPROBO VOS PER FIDES!"

The demon threw him, and he watched as the ceiling above him turned into a blur of blackness, deep as the night sky of a new moon. Sailing across the room, he yelled a final time.

"EGO REPROBO VOS PER FIDES!"

And then he hit the wall, blacking out.


	6. 5: Say Goodbye

**(Oh crap, I'm so sorry, I forgot that I hadn't uploaded the last chapter. For anyone still watching, here it is! Hope you enjoy!)**

As JD went flying through the air, the demon had thrown itself to the ground, writhing in pain. And as his final words echoed through the church, the demon's body exploded into a ball of light.

Dia drew Jack to her, shielding their eyes from the glowing sphere in front of them. Good god, the kid had actually done it! He'd cast out the demon, this was amazing! Damn, he was lucky…

As the light began to fade, she gave one last shove to the rock she had been trying to push off of herself. It finally gave way, and she clambered up, leaning against the back wall to catch her breath. The light had disappeared, and in its place lay a man, hair colored red, with hardened features and roughish skin. _This must be…_

Perry began to stir, and Dia walked over, kneeling down in front of him and rolling him onto his back. Jack toddled forward cautiously, standing above Perry's head. When he opened his eyes, the man smiled up wearily at his son and Dia.

"So you're Perry?"

"That'd be me. And you are...?"

"I'm Dia, and if you want to thank me for saving your skin, I don't mind."

"Heh, well thanks then." His eyes flicked to Jack. "Hey kiddo. Miss me?"

"Daddy, Deejay killed the tingy dat ate you!"

He chuckled and sat up, wincing at the soreness in him. "Yeah, he did. Where is he-"

_Oh god. JD!_

The younger man was all the way across the hall, lying against a pile of pews. A trickle of blood ran down the side of his head, and- oh shit, his eyes were shut, and he wasn't moving, and that was not, _not_ a good sign.

"Newbie?" he called out cautiously. JD didn't stir. "JD? JD! Damn it!"

He pulled himself to his feet, ignoring the help Dia offered, and sprinted over as fast as he could, dropping to his knees in front of JD. His hand lowered to JD's neck. _Come on Newbie, don't do this to me._

_Oh thank god._ A wave of relief swept over him as he felt a pulse, strong and steady. Now he could see JD begin to stir, a groan escaping his lips. He opened his eyes and stared up at Perry, giving him a slight smile.

"Don't you ever fucking scare me like that again, Newbie."

"Funny, I was going to tell you the same thing."

Perry chuckled, a whoosh of air escaping his lips. He leaned forwards, helping JD up into a sitting position, and dropped himself down fully, letting the exhausted man rest against his side. Banishing the demon had taken so much energy out of JD; his face was deathly pale.

They looked up as Dia walked over, Jack alongside her.

"I'll take him out and let you boys have a moment alone," she said, giving a nod. "Come on Jack, let's go find that priest and kick his ass!" Jack cheered and followed behind her, shouting 'kick his ass!' in time with her.

JD grinned, watching them go. "You think Jordan will be pissed if he starts saying that a lot?"

"She's Jordan. I'd be surprised if she hadn't taught it to him herself."

Perry watched him giggle at the joke, a warmth spreading in his chest. The younger man now turned back to look at him. Stares and tense quiet followed.

"I…" JD began. Eyes bowed to the ground. "I couldn't let her take you away from Jack. Or Jordan. Or…" Eyes flicked back up. "Or me."

Perry nodded, and reached an arm around JD's chest, pulling him closer. Spiky hair tickled the tip of Perry's chin. He leaned his head down, breathing in the scent of the younger man; mango shampoo and those damned raspberry lollipops he always ate.

"You saved my life, JD. I really don't know what to say otherwise."

Wetness. He pulled back slightly to find two darkening spots on his shirt and a red-faced JD. "Why're you crying Newbie?"

"You, uh, you called me JD."

_Oh come on, he can't be that wimpy!_ "You're crying because of that?"

"No." A smile fluttered at the edge of JD's lips. "It's just… nice to hear." He wiped away a stray tear and looked up. "Uh, do you remember anything that happened while that thing was controlling you?" His face seemed to darken again, and he couldn't seem to keep eye contact with Perry.

"Mostly, yeah. There was a point that I woke up from this trance or something, but I still seem to remember what happened during it." Yeah, he definitely remembered. Definitely.

"Oh well, about that… um… _thing_ that happened at the hospital. I won't bother you about it or anything."

Perry's brain twitched in annoyance as JD continued to look to the side. Could the kid get any redder? _Damn it JD, look at me._

JD went on. "I mean, the demon was controlling you and all. It wasn't your fault or anything; I promise I won't tell anyone, I just-"

"Newbie, shut up."

JD's head swung up like a pendulum, eyes wide in shock. In a second his face turned into a glower. "Well I was just trying to help! I thought you wanted-"

"Do you even know what I want, JD?" Silence, and eyes avoiding Perry's once more. "Uh huh, I thought so." Perry reached a hand up, cupping JD under the chin and raising the younger man's face to meet his. JD stared up at him, eyes filled with fear; sparkling with hope.

The first kiss was soft; eyes closed, imploring rather than demanding. It was different than what had gone on in the storage closet that morning. Perry heard JD release a sigh of satisfaction as he pulled back and opened his eyes, watching the tension finally melt off of JD's face.

"But, but-," JD's eyes shot open. "So it wasn't just the demon?"

"Newbie, can you think of any issue I'd have that would cause me to go to a church for help?" A curious stare was the only response. "I was having all of these thoughts, and damn it if they wouldn't go _away_, no matter _what_ I did. I could barely be in the same room with you; all I wanted to do was to pin you to the wall and get my hands down your pants! And don't you start blushing on me, Annabel." _Crap, I will never be able to resist that pouty look of his._ "I was getting desperate, and I took a chance by listening to my crazy sister. Heh, look what happened there."

"So… "

"Yeah."

"You… you _like_ me?"

"We left 'like' about three steps back, kid."

"You mean, you, you mean that-"

"Don't make me say it, Newbie."

JD grinned up at him. "You love me." A teasing tone. Perry's face curled into a grimace.

"Don't start."

"Hehe, you can't resist the J-Dizzle's sexiness! Ow!" He rubbed the spot that Perry had slapped.

"You deserved that."

"Nuh uh!"

"Oh what, have we devolved into a five year old, Patricia?"

JD crushed their lips together to shut him up.

-------

When they left the church, Dia was leaning against the side of the van, Jack playing with a tattered, stuffed bear that seemed to appear from nowhere. JD was limping along, an arm draped over Perry's shoulder for support.

She gave them a nod and pointed to the back of the vehicle. "Cleanup squad will be here in an hour or so. Come on, I'll take you three home."

She opened up the back doors, revealing the large, padded trunk; a blanket tossed in the corner. "You all will never fit up front," she said, smirking and pointing inside.

Perry helped JD climb up and then swung Jack in before getting up himself. Dia closed the doors, darkening the inside. He watched JD flop down, lying breadth-wise against the side wall.

"I'm so tired."

Perry chuckled, sitting down next to him. "You've got every right to be, Newbie." The engine rumbled to life. "Take a break; get some sleep."

Jack climbed into his father's lap, still clutching the teddy bear. "Da lady said I could keep it!" he said, smiling and holding it up to his father's face. Perry nodded and drew his son closer, letting the tension he'd been holding in loose. God, he could've lost everything over his stupid refusal to admit the truth.

He reached his arm out and wrapped it around JD's shoulder, pulling the younger man against his side. JD let out a faint mumble, already half asleep. "Wha's wrong?" His voice was husky and breathless.

"Nothing anymore, Newbie. Everything's going to be okay."

"'s good."

"Get some sleep, kid."

"M'kay. 'night Perry. Lov-" the rest was just a whispered mumble.

"…you too, JD. You too."

It wasn't long before Perry slipped off as well.

-------

Dia glanced in her rear view mirror, watching what was happening in the trunk. Jack was sleeping between the two men; JD had curled against Perry's chest. She sighed as her eyes fell on the bear clutched in Jack's hand.

_That should've been us_.

-------

It was close to dawn by the time they made it back into the city. The boys piled out of the truck, Jack fast asleep against Perry's chest.

"You," Perry said, pointing to JD as he clambered out of the trunk, "are a very bad babysitter. Letting my son stay up so late; shame on you, Newbie." JD just rolled his eyes.

His leg was feeling better, so he moved away to stand next to Perry as Dia shut the doors. She turned, eyes giving them a once over.

"You two are going to be alright?"

JD nodded. "I think so. Thanks for… well, everything!"

She shook her head. "It's just my job, kid. You take care of yourself. And you," she said, glancing to Perry. "You keep your head out of your ass and don't let this happen again. You've got a support system now," she said, nodding towards JD. "Use it."

Perry gave a swift nod in reply. "Guess I have to start going to church again, huh? Being possessed by a demon isn't something you can really rationally explain."

She snorted. "I'm an atheist demon hunter. That's about as paradoxal as you can get." When he raised his brow in confusion, she continued. "I always say, your faith doesn't make you. You make your own faith. You're a man of firm beliefs, Perry. Stick to the ones that work."

She climbed into the van, and they watched her speed away into the sunrise. JD leaned his head on Perry's shoulder, sighing. "So do you think I'd be good as a demon hunter?"

_Thwack._

"Owwww! What was that for!" JD rubbed his forehead in the same spot as before.

"Stick to something that won't give me a heart attack, idiot."

"I'm just saying."

Perry rolled his eyes and motioned his hand towards the door. "Come on, I'm starving. Make me some breakfast."

"Yes, dear."

"Do you like it when I smack you?"

"Yeah, it's pretty kinky."

"Shut up and get inside, Clarice."

As Perry yanked him towards the door, a simple thought drifted into JD's head.

_Today was definitely a ten._

**END...OF PART I!**

** PART II COMING... AS SOON AS I HAVE TIME TO WRITE IT :D**


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